For Noah and Katie, there were so many things at their wedding that reflected them. For example, both them and their families are musically talented, so instead of clanking a glass to get the couple to kiss, someone had to sing them a love song. [Bryan may or may not have started with You Shook Me All Night Long. Classy. haha!] They also put out instruments and asked willing guests to bring their own for an impromptu jam session. But my personal favorite was when they planted a tree as a replacement for a unity candle ceremony, which was perfect for their farming selves.  And who doesn’t love a picnic reception?

check out part one here

The morning of Noah and Katie’s Pennsylvanian wedding had a sense of calm. The fog gently rolling through getting ready to be burned off by 9. The days leading up had been full of preparation and good hard work. An hour after Bryan and I had gotten off our plane, we were building a fence for the couple’s new garden. The sister of the groom made all the pies, the flowers were all grown from the bride’s garden, and the beautiful farmhouse was the house Katie had grown up in.  

All of that, lead to this. A day were our dear friend got to marry his bride. For a couple of years I’ve been asking Noah, “sooooo, got a girl yet?” I didn’t ask this question because I’m a junior higher [ok. maybe I am], but because for as long as I’ve known Noah, he has been the guy who knows exactly what he wants. He speaks with purpose, clarity, and wisdom. The day that he found a girl, I knew she would be pretty spectacular. And she is. Katie is everything and more. Their love of family and friends is abundant. Their love of farming overseas and being barefoot. Their love for God. Really, these two just overflow in love, so it was pretty special being able to capture their day. 

see part two here

Bryan’s boss knows this woman. Her name is Taffy and she loves her garden. Not only does she love her garden, but she is a gifted landscape architect. Normally, I am not a fan of garden photography. It’s pretty, but I feel drained after taking pictures of plants, whereas people get me pumped. But this situation was a bit different because it comes with a story. I was hired by a group of women who love Taffy to take pictures of her garden. Taffy’s health has come to a point where she is unable to tend to her garden. These women want to preserve her craft in the form of photography and when bed rest sets in she can still “visit” her garden. 

I was thinking about this the other day. Preserving. Possibly the greatest thing photography has to offer. To keep memories or garden’s protected in perfect, unaltered condition. I think about the woman who gets maternity photos and preserves all the memories of what that pregnancy was like for her.  The couple who looks through their wedding album when times in marriage are hard. Photography has the power to reach into your heart and evoke memories of hardship, triumph, resilience, love, and so much more. To Taffy, I know these photos won’t be as beautiful as the sun you feel on your face as you prune your gorgeous roses, but I do hope they take you back to that perfect memory. 

A little humor for today. I hate using gas station bathrooms [who does?] They are creepy and nasty beyond all belief. However, I walked into this gas station bathroom and to my surprise the owner had decorated it pink with cute lotions and pictures of Marilyn Monroe on the wall. Then I saw this half picture frame sign… so good.

Who needs silverware separated? 

One of Bryan’s resolutions is to learn how to use my camera, so we practiced a bit this weekend.

There’s this tree back home where Bryan and I both grew up. When we were dating [and even when we were “just friends”] we spent a lot of time reading in this tree. Bryan would sit on a limb and I would lay in the green grass as one of us would read to each other. Sometimes I would join Bryan in climbing, but I tend to be more of a ground squirrel who just dreams of being a tree squirrel.